Conservative Realism and the Consequences of the Managerial Revolution

This report argues that contemporary conservatism must evolve in response to the managerial revolution. Drawing on the work of James Burnham and Samuel T. Francis, this refers to a societal transformation of power and legitimacy that has concentrated influence in the hands of a new ruling class of “managers” who have displaced traditional elites and democratic institutions. Burnham and Francis outline how bureaucratic managers now dominate not only economic production but also cultural and ideological life. 

In this context, the report introduces Conservative Realism as the essential form of conservatism in the managerial age. Conservative Realism synthesizes classical conservative thought, political realism and nationalism to confront the realities of institutional capture and ideological displacement. It rejects nostalgic passivity and embraces strategic restoration, recognizing that to conserve truly, one must sometimes restore radically.